Construction of new grain elevator lifts Atchison

Atchison  Residents of Atchison are looking forward to the opening of a new grain elevator, which will replace a Bartlett Grain Co. elevator destroyed by a fatal explosion.

The company announced it would rebuild soon after an explosion last October killed six and seriously injured two others. The concrete was poured last Friday, and the grain elevator is expected to open in September. Bartlett is contracting grain from farmers for this year's harvest.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports (http://bit.ly/I5Rcil ) the elevator will have a capacity of 1 million bushels of grain, 20 percent more than the old elevator. Bartlett officials say new technology will significantly improve unloading speeds.

City Manager Trey Cooking says the elevator construction is like a rebirth for the city.